Together At Last
by Janayea
Summary: John can't move on. However he tries, but honestly, who expected THAT to go very far?


Years had passed since the fall - the fall of Moriarty, the fall of Sherlock Holmes. Not much was remembered about them. Everyone had tried moving on; and after a year or two, they had. But not Mr. John Watson. Lestrade still needed him, of course. He was called a consulting detective - the only one in the world. But he did not call himself that. He called himself the second. For however much everyone tried persuading him, he would not let go of the fact that his best friend, was in fact still alive. No one could tell him otherwise.

Through the years, Watson had not changed much. His limp returned - although only very slightly, and it went unnoticed by his new girlfriend, Natalie. They'd been dating for 2 and a half years, and John, although still holding on to the hope that Sherlock was alive, had decided to propose. He told Lestrade this first, for he and John had gotten quite close since the fall. Lestrade had smiled and clapped him on the back, and John had laughed with him. But something wasn't right.

He felt like he was betraying someone by proposing to Natalie. He enjoyed his dates with her as much as he used to, but when his thoughts took to proposal, he could not shake the feeling of betrayal. He figured something was just wrong with him - a torn memory of sorts, and that was holding him back. Still, he waited.  
And one day, it finally hit him.  
'Sherlock?' he thought to himself. 'Do I really think that I'm betraying Sherlock by falling in love with someone... else?' He sighed to himself, and headed to his old address, 221b Baker Street, for he had moved out long ago. He still visited Mrs. Hudson, who had grown increasingly lonely as the time went by, and much appreciated John's company. In return, she did not move, touch, or replace any of Sherlock's items. She did not rent his room to anyone else.  
"A memorial," she called it.

As he knocked the door and was let inside, he made Mrs. Hudson tea, instead of her making it for him as she usually did. She sighed and sat in her living room, telling John that she needed to relax - alone - for a while. John understood, and he walked up the stairs, and into the room..  
His chair was empty. So, so empty. It looked tattered, lonely even. But John refused to sit in it. However much it reminded him of his old friend, he would not sit in it. The violin sat in it's usual perch against the wall next to the window, the music stand next to it, both of them slowly collecting dust. John shook his head and walked out, calling a quick goodbye to Mrs. Hudson. And he left for home.

It was the day of John's proposal. He had taken Natalie out to a fancy dinner at a restaurant - and both had dressed lovely. As they finished eating, John placed his hand in his pocket and rubbed the container holding the ring nervously. He had worked out how to do this - walk to the bathroom, and on the way back, pull out Natalie's chair, making it face him, get on his knees, and propose.  
It seemed easier in his head. He sighed, once more, smiled at Natalie and said, "I'm going to the wash room to freshen up, alright?" and with a nod from her, he got up.

In the bathroom, he stared at his reflection. Old battlescars, and even a faint mark on his cheek when Sherlock had punched him. He smiled at the memory. Confident now, he walked out the door, the ring container hidden in his sleeve. He stood at the table where his girlfriend sat - he smiled at her, and she smiled back. She seemed surprised when John took her chair, pulled it out, and made it face him.

"Natalie, I realize we've been together for a while now, and.." he got on his knees, slid up the container to his palm, and opened it. The look on Natalie's face was absolutely priceless - it was both incredibly happy and shocked.

"Natalie, we've been together a lot of things, God forbid what we would've been through if.." John trailed off, but he cleared his throat, and looked into her eyes. Through the corner of his eyes, he could see movement from outside the restaurant - they had a window seat.

"So, as it is my privilege to have been dating you for this long-" movement outside distracted him again, but he forcibly continued.

"I ask you, Natalie-" a face pressed up against the window, yelling something inaudible.

"Will you be my-" John's gaze flicked to the window, and was completely blown away at the face staring back at him.

"..be my wife?" the words came out anyways, however much he tried to stop them. Natalie's eyes teared up a bit, completely oblivious to John's shock, or change of feelings. "Of course, John, of course!" and that was when the man outside, staring at John through the window came bursting through the door.

"John!" he yelled. "John!"

John stood before he could slide the ring onto Natalie's finger. Natalie had turned to see who had yelled, anyways. And John stood. Shocked. Staring at the man of whom he told everyone was alive. Sherlock Holmes.

And, at last, after 6 years, they were there - standing in each other's presence, completely aware of each other.  
"Sherlock." he whispered. However angry John was at the man, he could not lie to himself that he was absolutely thrilled to see him.

The embrace was longer than needed - both knew this, but they did not care. Everyone was staring, both knew this, but again, they did not care. And most of all, Natalie was staring at them, completely confused, and getting increasingly angry for being ignored.. but they did not care.  
They were reunited, after "six god damn years, Sherlock, six _GOD DAMN_ years!", and they could not have been happier.


End file.
